Recaps

Lilith struggled to interpret Greg’s attention and decided to question him after resting, while Victoria, Sylvia, and Greg explored the undocumented Second Floor of the Academy Dungeon. The markings there resembled those on Professor Audrey’s tablet but represented faith in the Broken Mother.

• Lilith considered whether Greg liked her or was using her to approach Princess Vivian, then decided to wait until she had rested before confronting him.
• Lilith left her room and asked Renee to arrange a generous meal, Laila to prepare a bath, and Lena to stay away from her.
• Victoria and Sylvia followed Greg onto the unexplored Second Floor of the Glory Kail Academy Dungeon, where they found ancient stonework among the caves.
• Sylvia recognized the carved markings as familiar, and Greg realized they resembled Professor Audrey’s tablet markings but signified faith in the Broken Mother.

Greg led Victoria and Sylvia through the Second Floor of the Dungeon, where Victoria’s confidence faltered against a Phantom Stalker and Greg defeated it with his Dark Erosion Armor. Afterward, he used his help as grounds to demand half of Victoria’s gem earnings, and she paid up.

• Greg set aside his curiosity about the Dungeon’s ancient pillar and led Victoria and Sylvia into the Second Floor.
• Victoria and Sylvia helped Greg clear monsters, and Victoria collected several low-grade magic gems while boasting about their progress.
• A Phantom Stalker resisted Victoria’s attacks and disrupted her with psychic screeches, so Greg used Dark Erosion Armor to destroy it and gained Mental Attack Resistance Level 1.
• Victoria thanked Greg for saving her, and he demanded half of her gems as payment for his help.
• Greg called Victoria his sister and insisted that sisters had to keep their accounts straight, leaving her to pay him.

Greg led Victoria and Sylvia through the prerequisites for triggering the Hidden Mini-Boss, stopping at a dusty altar that he planned to revisit. As they continued, Sylvia secretly held Greg’s hand and replenished his mana before Victoria turned around, leaving the three to carry on toward their next encounters.

• Greg guided Victoria and Sylvia through the Hidden Mini-Boss prerequisites and showed them a dusty altar where a troublesome presence lingered.
• Sylvia followed Greg closely and secretly took his hand, using Glimmer Healing to replenish his mana.
• Greg accepted Sylvia’s touch and held her hand more securely while Nightmare teased him in his mind.
• When Victoria turned around, Sylvia quickly let go and claimed she and Greg had been discussing Swiftclaw Hunters’ attack patterns.
• Victoria agreed they should be careful but said she hoped to encounter more Swiftclaw Hunters for their drops.

Greg and Victoria defeated their opponents, and Greg reunited three Shattered Eye Shards into a complete artifact. The group reached a ledge overlooking the Temple Ruins, fulfilling the final condition for triggering the Hidden Boss Battle.

• Victoria killed a Monster with a spell that kept its body from falling off the cliff, while Greg bound and shattered a Rock-Splitting Colossus.
• Greg found a third Shattered Eye Shard on Victoria's Monster and joined it with his other two shards to form a complete, closed eye.
• Greg led Victoria and Sylvia up a newly cleared path toward a natural ledge.
• The group saw the Temple Ruins from afar, fulfilling the final condition for the Hidden Boss Battle.

Greg used the Closed Eye and a bronze mirror to guide Victoria and Sylvia backward out of the altar room, escaping its supernatural darkness. The dead end then opened into a shadowy corridor, which the three prepared to explore.

• Greg warned Victoria and Sylvia that the Shattered Temple's lord, the Throat of Longing, was too dangerous to fight without preparation.
• Greg returned with Victoria and Sylvia to the altar and placed the Closed Eye into its matching recess.
• Greg instructed Victoria and Sylvia to watch their reflections in the bronze mirror as they walked backward out of the room.
• The Closed Eye opened, a woman's voice spoke, and the bronze mirror cracked as darkness engulfed the room.
• Greg led Victoria and Sylvia through one final backward step, dispersing the darkness and revealing a corridor where the dead end had been.

Greg, Victoria, and Sylvia prepared to face the Silent Penitent in a chamber where sound was completely erased. The Silent Penitent appeared as they entered, leaving the three to fight without being able to communicate.

• Greg learned that Sylvia and Victoria had not heard the mysterious voice from the shattered mirror, and Nightmare denied speaking to him.
• At the corridor’s end, Greg told Sylvia to shield them and Victoria to prepare [Flame Storm] for a coordinated attack.
• Greg warned the girls that a rule-based silence inside the room would prevent them from speaking, and they entered together.
• The chamber stripped away every sound while leaving their other senses intact.
• The Silent Penitent materialized in the center of the chamber, carrying a broken ceremonial scepter.

Greg, Sylvia, and Victoria defeated the Silent Penitent in the stone chamber, using paralysis venom and coordinated spells to overcome its teleporting attacks. Greg claimed the Silent Covenant and gained Shattered Shadow Step, leaving the group better prepared to fight the lord boss.

• The Silent Penitent attacked Sylvia and then Victoria, while Greg and Sylvia intervened to protect them.
• Greg used spells to disrupt the Silent Penitent until he dodged its lethal strike with Intangibility and splashed it with paralysis venom.
• Sylvia trapped the slowed enemy with Light Shields, Greg bound it with tentacles, and Victoria defeated it with Flame Storm.
• Sylvia healed Greg, and Greg picked up the Silent Covenant, which could silence nearby units for 15 seconds.
• Greg received Shattered Shadow Step, a skill that enhanced a short movement and left a misleading afterimage.

Catherine considered why Greg had asked her to assist Victoria and planned how to approach Victoria and Sylvia despite the risks of their ties to the Church of Light. Her morning run brought her face-to-face with the two exhausted girls as they emerged from the Dungeon, giving her a chance to make contact.

• Catherine reflected on Victoria’s possible connection to the Church of Light and Sylvia’s skill with light magic.
• Catherine questioned why Greg had given up a chance to claim 1,000 gold coins in exchange for asking her to help Victoria.
• Catherine finished her run near the Dungeon entrance and saw Victoria Cecil and Sylvia Lorraine emerge, battered and exhausted.
• Catherine realized the girls had likely spent the night in the Dungeon and considered greeting them.

Catherine overheard Victoria and Sylvia discuss Greg and realized they had grown close to him, with Sylvia harboring feelings for him. Greg’s apparent willingness to help without seeking personal gain unsettled Catherine and sparked her curiosity, so she decided to approach Victoria and Sylvia to learn more about him.

• Catherine hid behind the hero statue and overheard Victoria complain about Greg’s harsh training and double standards.
• Sylvia defended Greg, explaining that he had helped them succeed in the Dungeon, and Victoria wondered whether Sylvia had grown close to him.
• Sylvia denied that anything was between her and Greg, and Victoria accepted her explanation before they left for the Dormitory District.
• Catherine inferred that Sylvia had feelings for Greg and questioned why Greg had arranged help for Victoria through her when he could have helped directly.
• Catherine reconsidered whether Greg might act without seeking personal gain and decided to approach Victoria and Sylvia to investigate him.

Greg tested his strengthened abilities in camp, then learned that Ellie’s work in the city was rapidly restoring Nightmare’s power of faith. He worried Ellie might be coercing people to convert and resolved to check on her and protect her if necessary.

• Greg killed a Horned Rabbit with several abilities and gained Boohoohoo proficiency.
• Nightmare told Greg that faith in her was growing rapidly in the city and might eventually let her grant him a basic blessing.
• Greg wondered whether Ellie was responsible for the increase, and Nightmare said the growth began after Greg parted ways with her.
• Greg feared Ellie might be forcing people to follow Nightmare and decided he needed to visit her.
• Greg resolved to protect Ellie, even if he had to seek the Academy Head’s help and get her into the Academy Dungeon.

Greg prepared to recover before the upcoming Return of the Dead, deciding he would intervene to help Victoria, then caught a hooded intruder searching his camp. He tackled the intruder and discovered she was Lilith, who had come to confront him about his remarks concerning her sister.

• Greg declined Nightmare’s offer to take her catgirl form, choosing to receive her blessing sooner and return to camp to rest.
• Greg recalled that Victoria’s original success in the Return of the Dead relied on Lilith and Sylvia’s support, and decided to intervene because Victoria and Lilith were now estranged.
• Greg spotted a hooded figure searching his camp and silently tackled her, believing she was a thief.
• The intruder cried out that Greg was at fault, and Greg recognized her as Lilith when her hood slipped off.
• Greg realized Lilith had come to demand an explanation about his public remarks on the Academy’s Tree-Lined Avenue.

Greg felt guilty for publicly humiliating Lilith, so he let her keep her disguise as Lily and welcomed her to his camp with a meal. As Lilith enjoyed the peace there, she wondered whether Greg had changed for Vivian and finally asked him if he liked the princess.

• Greg apologized to Lilith for handling her roughly, and she admitted that sneaking into camp without warning had been her fault.
• Greg offered Lilith some new dishes, and her excitement helped ease the awkwardness between them.
• Greg cooked meat, mushrooms, shellfish, and eggs while Lilith watched and wondered what had caused his change.
• Lilith tried to get Nightmare's attention, but the cat ignored her, and Lilith found comfort in being treated as an ordinary girl in the Dungeon.
• Lilith worried that Greg had changed because he admired Vivian and asked him whether he really liked Princess Vivian.

Greg explained to Lilith that Vivian admired her, revealing signs that Vivian had quietly watched and respected her achievements. As Lilith realized her sister had been paying attention to her, Greg said he wanted to watch over both princesses, leaving Lilith flustered and newly captivated by him.

• Greg clarified that his feelings for Vivian were admiration and respect, and said he had wanted the sisters to face their feelings honestly.
• Greg told Lilith that Vivian looked up to her and cited Vivian watching her competitions and keeping notes on her spellcasting.
• Lilith realized Vivian had been paying attention to her and felt her long-held insecurity ease.
• Lilith asked Greg why he had helped the sisters, and he said he wanted to watch over two girls he held in high regard.
• Lilith found herself unable to taste her food as she watched Greg and thought he looked even more handsome.

Greg returned to Glory Kail Academy with visible injuries, prompting rumors and an unexpected contest between Chloe Ivy and Yelina Forst to care for him. He spent his breaks being fussed over by both girls, while Victoria briefly visited and left with Sylvia after seeing the scene.

• A laboratory mishap, surprise botany quizzes, and a long astrology paper resumed the Academy’s everyday troubles after the day off.
• Students noticed Greg Sass’s injuries and speculated that he had been attacked by old enemies or had gotten into trouble off campus.
• Chloe Ivy and Yelina Forst began bringing Greg potions, food, and medicine, each insisting that she was best suited to care for him.
• Chloe revealed an alarming, highly detailed plan involving a calming potion and her private laboratory, leaving Greg sweating at her side.
• Victoria visited Greg, judged the scene with disdain, and dragged Sylvia away before she could join the girls.

After learning that the Academy’s Undead Subjugation Mission had been moved up, Greg left to prepare for it despite his injuries. Chloe vowed to stand by him, and Greg accepted her support before setting out.

• Yelina told Greg that the Student Council needed to help manage registration for the newly scheduled Undead Subjugation Mission, then hurried to the Mission Dispatch Hall.
• Greg decided to leave the cafeteria and prepare for the mission, while Chloe reluctantly let him go.
• Chloe promised Greg she would always support him, and Greg thanked her before leaving.
• After Greg had gone, Chloe blushed and hid her face, leaving the watching students astonished by her bashful side.

Victoria refused Sylvia’s suggestion to join a larger team and decided they would form their own group for the undead extermination mission. Needing a third member, Victoria was approached by second-year Catherine Roman, who asked whether they planned to participate.

• Yelina struggled to organize the excited students gathering to form teams for the lucrative undead extermination mission.
• Sylvia suggested that she and Victoria join an experienced team, but Victoria insisted they operate independently.
• Victoria refused to invite Greg, claiming he was still recovering, and privately resolved to prove herself without his help.
• Victoria realized the team needed at least three members and began searching the crowd for a capable, fair-minded recruit.
• Catherine Roman approached Victoria and Sylvia and asked whether they planned to join the mission.

Catherine planned to use Victoria and Sylvia’s expedition as an opportunity to recruit them for testing her family’s anti-undead Magic Device, but Victoria instead invited Catherine to join their team. Meanwhile, Melina met with Yellow Springs in an underground tomb and arranged for an undead expedition to bring students—and eventually Glory Kael Magic Academy’s professors—into the graveyard, giving her a chance to enter the Academy and approach the Hero.

• Catherine introduced herself to Victoria and Sylvia, expecting to build rapport before offering them a paid Magic Device testing commission.
• Victoria asked Catherine to join their team for the undead expedition, leaving Catherine bewildered.
• Melina appeared at an underground ritual site and warned Yellow Springs to keep her secrets, while acknowledging their shared connection to Rockthorn.
• Melina learned that the Academy had accepted the commission to investigate and clear the graveyard, and dismissed concerns that students might not defeat the threat.
• Melina explained that student deaths would draw the Academy’s professors and help her obtain a new identity, enter the Academy, and approach the Hero.

Catherine joined Victoria Cecil and Sylvia Lorraine in a fog-shrouded undead-infested area, where she reluctantly fought while questioning her intelligence about the two girls. After Victoria invoked Greg to encourage Sylvia, Sylvia overcame her fear and destroyed the undead with powerful Light Element Magic.

• Catherine found herself in a filthy, dangerous undead-infested area instead of the office where she expected to be.
• Victoria urged Catherine to fight and threatened to withhold her share of the loot, so Catherine used Wind Blade: Flurry to cut down undead.
• Victoria asked Sylvia to use light magic, but Sylvia was too frightened to attack.
• Victoria mentioned Greg, prompting Sylvia to remember seeing Chloe and Yelina surrounding him and lose her fear of the undead.
• Sylvia trapped the undead between two Light Barriers and crushed and purified them.

Victoria, Sylvia, and Catherine pushed deeper into the graveyard, where they encountered three arrogant Student Council members and a horde of powerful undead. The students fled as at least fifteen level-20 Necromancers emerged from the fog behind the councilmen.

• Victoria and Sylvia defeated the undead blocking their way, and Catherine wondered whether Greg Sass had contributed to Victoria’s sudden strength.
• Victoria led Sylvia and Catherine deeper into the graveyard, where the undead grew stronger and more numerous.
• The trio encountered Allen, Mike, and Rod, who offered their protection and expected them to join their team.
• Victoria rejected the Student Council members’ offer and dismissed their status, angering the boys.
• A crowd of students fled from the fog, warning that powerful undead were coming.
• Allen, Mike, and Rod turned to face at least fifteen level-20 Necromancers emerging behind them.

Victoria defeated a horde of undead mages and won six students’ admiration, then chose to continue into the graveyard despite Catherine’s warning and Sylvia’s fear. Catherine began to suspect Victoria’s willingness to risk herself for others was why Greg Sass wanted her help.

• Victoria ordered Sylvia to bless her and disrupt the undead mages while Catherine attacked their casters with Wind Blades.
• Victoria unleashed a combat-refined Flame Storm, and she, Catherine, and Sylvia wiped out the undead mages.
• Allen, Mike, Rod, and three girls begged to follow Victoria, leaving her bewildered.
• A tremor shook the graveyard, and Catherine urged Victoria to withdraw before the danger escalated.
• Victoria refused to leave, declaring she would search for endangered students and help them.
• Catherine watched Victoria’s resolve and wondered if Greg Sass wanted her to help Victoria because of her selflessness.

Greg traveled by carriage to the outskirts of Glory City to enter the Old Cemetery, while the old coachman mistook his purpose for a secret tryst and gave him romantic advice. After Greg rewarded him with a gold coin, he headed alone into the fog as the coachman prayed for his safety.

• The old coachman warned Greg that the Old Cemetery was dangerous and repeatedly assumed Greg was meeting a woman there.
• The coachman shared detailed advice about discreet romantic rendezvous, and Greg humored him rather than correcting the misunderstanding.
• The carriage reached the wasteland at the edge of the Old Cemetery, where the coachman offered to take Greg back if he changed his mind.
• Greg gave the old coachman a gold coin as payment, a reward for his advice, and compensation for waiting.
• Greg walked into the dead grass toward the cemetery fog, and the old coachman prayed to the Mother of the Deep Shadows to protect him.

Greg entered the graveyard to secretly help Victoria by killing the undead commander, then descended into the central tomb. He found a hooded woman resurrecting the Death Knight and realized his bad luck had landed him in the middle of the ritual.

• Greg avoided the students' battles and headed for the underground tomb where the Level 30 Death Knight was believed to command the undead.
• Greg killed a Necromancer with a Fireball Spell and an Undead Warrior with a Water Gun as he crossed the graveyard.
• Greg opened a hidden staircase beneath an ancient gravestone and descended through the tomb to a cavern below.
• Greg leaped into the cavern and found a hooded woman tracing runes inside a magic circle as the Death Knight began to awaken.
• The hooded woman demanded to know who Greg was and how he knew about her resurrection ritual.

Greg faced Yellow Springs and the Death Knight in the Core Tomb, then revealed his Dark Erosion Armor and startled Yellow Springs with its strange power. Before Greg could act, the Death Knight struck Yellow Springs and drove her into the tomb wall.

• Greg realized that Yellow Springs had awakened the Death Knight, though he wondered whether someone else had sent her to trigger the event early.
• Yellow Springs attacked Greg with a Corrosive Ray, then ordered the Death Knight to kill him and use his soul as a ritual offering.
• Greg dodged the Death Knight's charge and decided to use Dark Attribute Magic to erode its soulfire.
• Greg formed Dark Erosion Armor, whose power made Yellow Springs tremble and feel compelled to submit.
• The Death Knight suddenly slammed Yellow Springs into the stone wall, leaving Greg stunned by their unexpected fight.

Yellow Springs recalled how the Demon King rescued and named her, how she became a trusted battle companion to Rockthorn, and how they were assigned to serve Melina. After Melina returned from the Dungeon, Yellow Springs discovered the princess had turned Rockthorn and the other subordinates into marionettes and demanded that she keep it secret.

• The Demon King freed Yellow Springs from a cage, gave her a name, and took her into his service.
• Yellow Springs met Rockthorn, and the two fought together through many campaigns until she came to trust him as a companion.
• The Demon King ordered Yellow Springs and Rockthorn to assist Melina, who showed them a sweet smile that concealed her scrutiny.
• Yellow Springs and Rockthorn carried out Melina’s requests as her power grew and her plans became increasingly inscrutable.
• Melina entered the Dungeon for the sake of the Demon King’s undertaking and later returned having turned Rockthorn and her other subordinates into marionettes.
• Melina asked Yellow Springs to keep the transformation secret.

Greg battled Yellow Springs with help from the Death Knight, but she tore away the parts of herself afflicted by his magic and devoured the Death Knight’s soul fragment. As Yellow Springs renewed her assault and Greg’s magic dwindled, he realized he needed to destroy her soul fragment.

• The Death Knight bowed to Greg, and Yellow Springs emerged from the wall and launched a stronger attack.
• Greg and the Death Knight struck Yellow Springs, and Greg afflicted her with several erosion effects.
• Yellow Springs tore away the afflicted flesh, pierced the Death Knight’s armor, and swallowed its soul fragment, causing it to collapse.
• Yellow Springs grew stronger and attacked Greg, who used Intangibility to evade her and struck her with another erosion effect.
• Yellow Springs ripped away the newly afflicted flesh and continued attacking, while Greg retreated and devised a plan to destroy her soul fragment.